Auxiliary light unit



April 15, 1969 J. W. MCROSKEY ET AL AUXILIARY LIGHT UNIT Y Filed Nov.

United States Patent Us. cl. 24o- 8.18 4 claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An auxiliary light unit having a shell-like outer casing witha forward brim defining an opening for projection of light, an innerrotatably supported casing unit within the outer casing which has anextension abutting said brim, a curved wall providing a reflector, and awinding reel extending from the back side of the reflector wall. Theinner casing unit being rotatable by means of the wall extension tomanually wind an electrical cord on the reel, this cord being connectedto a lamp at the center of the reflector wall. A hollow handle issupported on the rear of the outer casing so as to extend transverselyin spaced relation, this handle having an end opening to releasablyreceive and stow a connection fitting ofthe electrical cord, the handlealso being provided Iwith a magnet permitting removable attachment ofthe light to a metal surface.

The present invention relates generally to electric lighting devices,and is more particularly concerned with an auxiliary light unit of theportable type.

It is one object of the herein described invention to provide a simple,durable and inexpensive portable auxiliary light unit which isparticularly useful in connection with vehicles such as automobiles,boats, airplanes, golf carts and the like, and which is arranged so thatit can be readily connected with a battery electric circuit of thevehicle.

A further object is to incorporate in an auxiliary light unit of theherein described type, a compact casing structure housing a uniquewinding reel arrangement upon which an extenison electric cord is woundfor storage, and from which it can be unwound to a desired length whenthe light is in use.

A still further object is to provide a light unit having a handle fordirecting the direction of light beam from the unit, and wherein a plugconnector on its electric connection cord can be housed, when the lightunit is stored or not being utilized. j

Another object is to provide an auxiliary portable hand light unithaving a magnet for releasably attaching and supporting the light uniton a metallic surface.

Still another object is to provide an auxiliary portable light unit inwhich a portion of the casing surrounding the projected beam opening ismade of a translucent red material which is laterally visible during useto provide a safety signal feature. y

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingpart of the specification, wherein detailed description is for thepurpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitationsthereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes only:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an auxiliary light unit embodying thefeatures of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a generally longitudinal section taken substantially on line2-2 of lFIG. l, showing the internal construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on line 33 of FIG. 2;

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FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing details of the retaining and securingmeans for rotatably connecting portions of the assembly together;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively transverse sections taken throughdifferent portions of the handle of the unit, substantially on lines 5-5and 6-6 to show the internal structure thereof.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes,the auxiliary light unit is shown in FIG. 1 as generally comprising acasing or housing structure, as generally indicated at 1). This housingstructure includes an outer casing 11 which is molded or otherwiseformed from a suitable plastic or other material to provide a shell likecontainer having a back wall closure 12 and a front circular opening 13at. its brim portion which is associated with a cylindrical wallextension 114 providing an outlet for a light beam projected from thedevice. This extension is preferably made of a translucent red materialso that, when the unit is viewed from the side, it will have a redilluminated end at the wall eX- tension which serves as a safety signalparticularly while using the light unit under hazardous conditions. Atthe rear end of the unit there is formed a pair of rearwardly projectinghollow arm members 15 and 16, these members being connected at theirouter ends by a hollow handle 17 which forms a hand grip formanipulating the unit and directing the light beam therefrom. Electricalconnection is made to the unit by means of an electrical connection cord18 rwhich carries a plug connector .19 of conventional construction atits free end 'by means 0f which the unit may be connected with asuitable source of electricity such as the battery circuit of a vehicle.

Rotatably supported within the outer casing 11 is an inner casingstructure, as generally indicated at 20. This inner casing comprises adished part that provides a reliector 21 and is centrally formed with atubular neck 22 for housing for a lamp socket 23 arranged to receive anelectric light bulb 24 as a light source for the unit. At its periphery,the reflector 21 is constructed with a circumferentially extending brimflange 25 which is adapted to fit within the front circular opening 13of the outer casing, surface bearing ribs 26 being circumferentiallyspaced around the iiange for engagement with the adjacent wall of theouter casing, these ribs providing bearing surfaces of low friction.

The reflector 21 at the flange 25 is secured to an inwardly extendingcircumferential ange 27 carried by the cylindrical wall 14 of theextension by means of retaining screws 28 which extend through theflange 27 into integrally formed bosses 29 so as to releasably connectthe extension 14 as a part of the rotatable inner casing 20 assembly.The screws 28 also serve to peripherally secure a transparent lensmember 30 in an operative position in front of the light source 24 andreflector 21. The extension 14, as best shown in FIG. l, is providedwith a plurality of edge projections 311 which are circumferentiallyspaced around the extension 14 and provide bearing surfaces which areadapted to engage the adjacent edge of the outer casing.

The inner casing assembly also includes a winding reel 32 having awinding drum 33 which is coaxial with the tubular neck 22 and is securedat one end to the rear side of reector 21 by being telescoped withannular flange 34 on the reliector. The opposite end of the drum carriesan integrally formed end ange 35, this end ange being centrallysupported by a hub sleeve 36 which surrounds the tubular neck 22. Thewinding reel is retained in assembled relation by means of a retainingring 37, as best shown in FIG. 3, having circumferentially spacedhook-fingers 38 which extend through openings 39 in the end liange andhave their outermost ends snapped over adjacent edges of slots 40provided .in the sleeve 22.

As thus arranged, the reflector 21 and end flange 35 coact with thewinding drum 33 to provide a winding space within which the electricalconnection cord 18, which enters the housing structure through anopening 41, may be wound. The conductors at the inner end of theconnection cord are connected to socket terminals 42 and 43.

The inner casing assembly is retained in operative assembled positionwithin the outer casing by means of a bearing and retaining structure atthe back wall 12, as will now be described. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and4, the tubular neck 22 projects through an opening 44 which is formed ina central recessed portion 45 of the back wall 12. The rotatable innercasing is retained against axial movements by means of a retainingmember, as generally indicated at 46, which is arranged to seat in therecessed portion 45 and is so constructed as to releasably engage theadjacent end of the tubular neck 22.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the retaining member 46 is of generallycircular disk-like construction and includes a circular wall 47 havingcircumferentially spaced arcuate projections 48 forming abutment padsfor engagement with the bottom wall of the recessed portion 4S when theretaining member is seated in the recessed portion. The wall 4.7 is alsoformed with circumferentially spaced peripheral radial projections 49having outer end surfaces which engage the surrounding wall Sil of therecessed portion 45 to form a rotatable bearing support for the innercasing at this point in the back wall 12.

The associated end of the tubular neck 22 is provided with diametricallyopposed shoulders 51 and 52. In assembling the retaining member 46 inits securing position with respect to the tubular neck 22, the member isso positioned that its diametrically opposed arcuate flanges 53 and S4will enter the end opening of the tubular neck and extend between theshoulders 51 and 52 so as to retain the member 46 against relativerotation. In this position, the member 46 is releasably latched by meansof diametricallyy positioned pairs of hook-fingers 55 and 56 which arearranged to hook their ends over the inner edges respectively of theshoulders 51 and 52.

The handle 17 is of hollow construction formed of a pair of cooperableshell sections, an inner section 57 and an outer section 58. Thesesections are longitudinally joined on opposite sides and are aligned byan aligning plug 59 on the outer section which iits into a receivingsocket 60 on the inner section. The ends of the inner section are seatedrespectively in edge grooves 61 and 62 at the ends of the arm members 15and 16. The handle assembly consisting of the two sections is thenretained in assembled relation by means of a securing screw 63 whichengages a boss 64 in an end extension of the outer section;A whilesecuring screws 65 and 66 engage bosses at the lower end of the outersection 58 on opposite sides of an end opening cavity 67. This cavity isseparated from an upper cavity 68 by a separating wall portion orpartition 69. The cavity 67 is utilized for storage of the plugconnector i19 which can be inserted endwise into the handle when thelight is not being used, as shown in FIG. 2. The cavity 68 of the handleis utilized for the mounting of magnetic suspension means which permitsthe auxiliary light unit to be supportingly attached to a metal surface,when desired. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the magnet assembly comprises asubstantially rectangular permanent magnet 70 of magnetized materialwhich is mounted between angle pole members 71 and 72 the magnet havingone side face separated from the adjacent legs of the pole members by aspacer strip 73 which may be of an insulating material. The other legsof the pole members extend through elongate slots 74 and 75 to provideexposed ends of the pole members for engaging any metal surface uponwhich the unit is to be supported.

The magnetic assembly just described is retained within a pocket betweenthe side walls of the outer section, the adjacent partition 69 at oneend and a transversely extending web 76 at the other end, by means ofspaced projections 77 and 78 which extend from the wall of the innersection 57 and have their outer ends bearing against the adjacent legsof the pole members. The magnet assembly is thus securely held inposition against shifting movement.

In using the auxiliary light unit, the connection cord 18 may beunreeled simply by applying a pulling force to the portion thereof whichis outside the casing v11. As the pull is continued, the cord will beunwound from the reel. When it is desired to again store the light unit,the connection cord may be retrieved by rewinding upon the reel withinthe casing simply by rotating the wall ex tension 14 in a rewinddirection. As previously stated, when the plug connector '19 is not inuse it may be conveniently inserted into the cavity 67 for storage. Themagnet support may be utilized to hold the unit in a desired positioneither during times of use or when it is being stored in a particularlocation by attaching it to a metallic surface.

-From the foregoing description, it is believed that it is clearlyapparent that the stated objectives of the invention will beaccomplished.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of our invention, and, hence, we donot wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned,except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An auxiliary light unit, comprising:

(a) an outer casing structure having a forward brim defining an openingtherein for the projection of a light beam from an internal lightsource;

(b) an inner rotatably supported casing unit within said outer casingincluding a cylindrical wall extension abutting said forward brim, acurved wall portion extending inwardly from said cylindrical wallextension forming a reflector for said light source, and a winding reelsupported `within said outer casing and extending from the back of saidreflector forming wall for an electrical connection cord for said lightsource, said cord having its free end projecting through the outercasing structure; and

(c) means including said wall extension for manually rotating said innercasing and said reel in a winding direction from the exterior of saidouter casing structure.

2. An auxiliary light unit according to claim 1, including a handle gripconnected at the rear of said outer casing structure, and magnetic meansmounted in said handle and having exposed pole members extending througha wall of the handle.

3. An auxiliary light according to claim `1, including a spacedtransversely extending hollow handle carried by said outer casingstructure at the rear thereof, said handle having an entrance opening toits interior, and a plug connector at the free end of said electricalconnection cord nsertable into said handle through said opening fornon-use storage therein.

4. An auxiliary light unit according to claim 3 having magnetic meanscarried by said handle -whereby the unit may be releasably supportedfrom a metallic structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,932,143 10/1933 Piercy 24U-52.15 2,407,737 9/1946 Erasmus 24U-8.18 2,662,970 12/1953 Zediker240-8-18 XR 3,322,944 5/1967 Mellyn 240-8-18 3,342,985 9/1967 Huber24U-4161.59 XR NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

W. A. SIVERTSON, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 24U- 46.59. 52.15

